When Catholics receive Communion, they must strive to do so “worthily,” meaning they have repented of their sins and desire to live in keeping with the teachings of the Catholic Church. In the Bible, the apostle Paul warns of grave consequences for those who take Communion unworthily. But Naumann is also worried about the message Biden communicates to other Catholics when he takes Communion while continuing to support abortion rights: “Whether he intends it or not, he’s basically saying to people, ‘You can be a good Catholic and do similar things,’” [Archbishop] Naumann told me.
I don't know. Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red has a good point. What's a mortal sin or two as long as you've got Confession?
The problem isn't so much the sinning as the lack of confession. If you could just admit the cannibalism was wrong, it'd be more tolerable all the way around.
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The Bible seems to say both, which is always a sign that there are deep matters afoot which require contemplation, and should scare the pants off you. In the book of Joshua, Achan 'fesses up in front of the assembly to the deed of taking forbidden war booty - and he and his family are still stoned to death. Paul describes in Chapter 8 of his Letter to the Romans the Natural Law understanding that those who didn't know they were sinning actually did know, at least in some situations. And forgiveness is entire for some pretty terrible stuff!
Following CS Lewis's repeated thought that deceiving yourself about sin is its real beginning, the making excuses may indeed be the worst part for Biden. Even if the Catholics are wrong about their position (they're not, but just supposing), he would still be guilty of the being dishonest with his own church and deceiving himself on this.
It may be what Jesus is talking about with the Unforgivable Sin. If a sin cannot be admitted, it cannot be offered in confession and be forgiven. Sinning against the Holy Spirit may mean "repeatedly denying what you know to be the truth."
Now that's an important matter. Just what is unforgivable is surely a matter of the first water. If we can't map it out, we can't be sure of forgiveness; and some of us sail pretty close to the weather.
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